OPINION

Chinese conspiracy?

Barry Kenyon is right in pointing out the ridiculously bureaucratic and seemingly hostile attitude of Thailand's immigration authorities which is making the kingdom a far less welcoming destination for Western retirees and tourists alike, but he is completely wrong when he says that in Myanmar "nobody has heard of the TM30"!

I live in Myanmar, and new laws require my landlord to register all foreigners living in the building so they can tell Myanmar immigration authorities who is living in the apartments at any given time.

This process requires my wife and I to provide photocopies of our passport pages, copies of valid entry visas, copies of last entry immigration stamp, a letter from my employers, as well as two photographs of myself and my wife.

Every time we leave the country and return again, we have to supply our landlord with new visa copies and entry stamp copies so as to avoid fines imposed by the immigration authorities.

Mind you, I should count my blessings in that we are not required to report to the immigration offices every 90 days to prove we are still living at the same address as if we were common criminals!

Perhaps the spread of the TM30 "disease" in Thailand, as well as Myanmar, is all part of the preparations for when both countries eventually become Chinese satellite states, so their authorities can track Westerners at will.

Nonetheless, in Myanmar, the people are genuinely far more friendly and welcoming of expatriates than in Thailand, and they also seem more resistant to the relentless and insidious pressure exerted from the PDRC.

Moreover, the cost of living is significantly lower assuming one can afford the fairly high property prices in Yangon!

Re: "Turkish forces are shielding Syrians and Kurds", (Opinion, Oct 21).

There are certain words which I have not written which are directly related to the content, which have the effect of changing my intended message and at times, causing certain nuances to be lost.

My sentence reads: "I would like to set the record straight regarding Operation Peace Spring as some of the pieces in Bangkok Post over the past few days have especially been concerning in terms of facts."

The Bangkok Post's edited version says: I would like to set the record straight regarding "Operation Peace Spring", as the Bangkok Post's coverage of Turkey's offensive in Syria has been concerning in terms of facts.

My sentence reads: "In addition to DEASH, direct terrorist threat to Turkey comes from PKK and PYD/YPG (the Syrian offshoot of PKK, PKK itself is recognised as a terrorist organisation also by the US, EU and Nato.) I thus underline; Turkey does not fight Kurds; our target is these terrorists.

The Post's version: In addition to the IS, a direct terrorist threat to Turkey comes from Kurdish militia of the PKK -- recognised as a terrorist organisation also by the US, EU and Nato and -- and its Syrian offshoot, the PYD/YPG. I thus emphasise that Turkey does not fight Kurds; our target is these terrorists.

I strongly urge Prime Minister Prayut to re-open the infamous Koh Tao murder case. Some things will not go away, and like the Tak Bai massacre some 15 years ago, some things leave a bad taste, and a blight on Thailand's police and worse, the justice system.